2.1.15

Ellipses

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Ellipses

An ellipsis (…) is used to imply that a word, a sentence or a whole section from a text has been deliberately left out. Ellipses can also be used to create pauses in a sentence.

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Remove unnecessary information

  • An ellipsis can be used to show that the beginning of a sentence has been left out.
    • E.g. ‘…we arrived after the movie began.’
      • The use of an ellipsis at the beginning of a sentence shows something happens before what you read.
      • The beginning of the sentence was removed because the words after the ellipsis contain the most important information.
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To suggest there is more to know

  • An ellipsis can be used to suggest that there is more to an idea than the writer is telling you.
  • An ellipsis is normally used to suggest there is more to an idea at the end of a paragraph or story.
    • E.g. ‘Suddenly John turned, and what he saw changed him forever…’
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To cut down a quote

  • Some quotes can be quite long.
  • You can begin a quote and then use an ellipsis to remove the less important parts of the quote.
    • E.g. 'Darwin wrote about his Theory of Evolution...in 1859.'
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To cut down a quote example

  • ‘The instruments of darkness…to betray us in deepest consequence.’
    • The beginning of the quote is important.
    • The end of the quote is important.
    • The middle of the quote is NOT as important.
      • The ellipsis shows there is more to the quote, but the information is NOT important.
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To express hesitation

  • An ellipsis can be used to show hesitation.
    • E.g. ‘I don’t know…where they are.’
    • E.g. ‘I….don't…want…to.’

Jump to other topics

1Spelling

2Punctuation

3Grammar

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